70' Substitution

Two second-half goals saw Fulham fall to a 2-1 defeat in our final pre-season game against Parma at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

We started well with Steve Sidwell’s thunderbolt strike putting us ahead in the first 10 minutes, but a scrappy second half saw Gabriel Paletta head home an equaliser. Substitute Nicola Sansone was then on hand to head home an 86th minute winner from close range after a deep cross was nodded back across goal by Gianni Munari.

Both sides began with good chances as Richardson’s through ball to Na Bangna was cut out as Paletta came across to clear with a sliding tackle. Parma then went close inside the first five minutes as the ball was floated over and Amauri’s header was diverted away from goal by a great leap from Hughes inside his own six-yard box.

Fulham kept up the early pressure and were rewarded with an incredible strike from Steve Sidwell. The midfielder turned a tackle in the middle of the pitch, charged forward and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner past goalkeeper Antonio Mirante from fully 35 yards.

Buoyed by the goal, Berbatov controlled a long ball well and combined with Na Bangna, but the pair were just kept out by some resolute defending. Fulham had some fight to them as well as Richardson crashed into a tackle with Rosi that left the Italian on the floor, but our left-back with the ball.

Na Bangna then had a chance to double our lead in the 17th minute when a ball over the top into the area saw him find space and cut inside. As his marker, Rosi, slipped the young winger’s curled shot was well gathered by Mirante.

Up the other end, Parma could have found a way back into the game but Amauri’s cushioned header was not controlled well by Jonathan Biabiany as he raced into the box and the chance was cleared. Amauri then had the ball in the net on 23 minutes as he poked home from close range with Maarten Stekelenburg beaten, but the flag was raised for offside.

Fulham continued to find space up front and Berbatov’s ball down the right released Dejagah. The Iran international’s cross was low and hard, evading Bryan Ruiz, and Sidwell was unable to follow up the near post. The midfielder’s dink over the top then almost found Berbatov, but Mirante was able to come and gather before our striker reached it.

The Italian side were still threatening in bursts and a good cross found the head of defender Yohan Benalouane, but he glanced it just past the post. Then Marco Parolo almost levelled the scores in the same way as Sidwell – a 30 yard hammer smashed against the crossbar in the 31st minute and bounced down, just failing to cross the line with Stekelenburg beaten.

As the half-time break came into view, a deep cross just evaded the diving Berbatov and Benalouane went on a charging run from his own half that was cut out by a combination of Aaron Hughes and Brede Hangeland. Parma were almost gifted an equaliser as a short pass out of defence was cut out by Amauri but Derek Boateng’s heroic block in the box saved a certain goal as we went into the break 1-0 up.

Manager Martin Jol brought on Hugo Rodallega for Berbatov but it was Parma who started brighter as Richardson was forced to head clear from under his own bar early on. Fulham’s sub immediately almost reached a wayward backpass by Paletta but Mirante was just able to claim it before he arrived.

After Sidwell’s heroics of the first half, every time the midfielder reached the ball the crowd would urge him to shoot, but his volley flew well over the bar when he connected well from a poor Parma clearance in the 52nd minute. Parolo tried to mimic his long-range effort from earlier, but it was deflected over the bar.

From the resulting corner, however, Parma were level. A long ball found Parolo on the edge of the box and he dinked it back over to Cassano. The forward’s deep cross found the far post and the onrushing Paletta crashed a header past Stekelenburg to equalise.

A raft of substitutions occurred in the 63rd minute as Parma brought on four players and Adel Taarabt made his debut, coming on for Dejagah, while Giorgos Karagounis arrived for Derek Boateng.

Karagounis immediately made an impact as he forced Jaime Valdes into a crude tackle which earned him a yellow card. A long ball then saw Bryan Ruiz fouled on the edge of the box as Parma tried to exert their physical presence but Taarabt’s effort hit the wall.

Taarabt’s burst then saw the new signing cut down outside the box by Paletta and another free-kick chance came. This time it was Ruiz, but his effort dipped narrowly over the bar.

In the 76th minute, substitute Stefano Okaka (a former Fulham player) missed a glorious chance as Djamel Mesbah swung in a cross but the striker’s header was off target from six yards out. On came Pajtim Kasami for Bryan Ruiz for the final quarter and the Switzerland forward came close to netting the winner as he almost got on the end of a fizzed cross from substitute Chris David in the 84th minute.

However, Fulham were made to pay for not taking advantage of their chances as, a couple of minutes later, a deep cross found the extra man and Gianni Munari headed back across goal to the waiting Nicola Sansone to head home from close range.

As the seconds ticked away, John Arne Riise burst down the left and provided a good low cross, but Kasami’s effort on goal was saved well at the near post. Taarabt showed some great skill to cut inside his man in the final minute and burst into the box, but Parma’s defence closed in on him to ensure they left SW6 with the win.